Mark 5-10
Expanded Bible
A Man with Demons Inside Him(A)
5 ·Jesus and his followers [L They] went to the other side of the lake to the ·area [land; region] of the ·Gerasene[a] people [C Gerasa was southeast of Lake Galilee; the exact location is uncertain]. 2 When Jesus got out of the boat, immediately a man with an ·evil [defiling; L unclean] spirit came to him from the ·burial caves [tombs; cemetery]. 3 This man lived in the ·caves [tombs], and no one could tie him up [any more], not even with a chain. 4 [For] Many times people had used [shackles and] chains to tie the man’s hands and feet, but he always ·broke them off [tore apart the chains and smashed the shackles]. No one was strong enough to ·control [subdue] him. 5 Day and night he would wander around the ·burial caves [tombs] and on the hills, screaming and ·cutting [bruising] himself with stones. 6 While Jesus was still far away, the man saw him, ran to him, and ·fell [bowed] down before him.
7 The man shouted in a loud voice, “·What do you want with me [Let me alone; What business do we have with each other; L What to me and to you; see 1:24], Jesus, Son of the Most High God? I ·command [beg; implore; swear to] you in God’s name not to ·torture [torment] me!” 8 He said this because Jesus was saying to him, “You ·evil [defiling; L unclean] spirit, come out of the man.”
9 Then Jesus asked him, “What is your name?”
He answered, “My name is Legion [C a legion was about 5,000 soldiers in the Roman army], because we are many spirits.” 10 He begged Jesus again and again not to send them out of that ·area [land; region].
11 A large herd of pigs was feeding on a hill near there. 12 The demons begged Jesus, “Send us into the pigs; let us go into them.” 13 So Jesus allowed them to do this. The ·evil [defiling; L unclean] spirits left the man and went into the pigs. Then the herd of pigs—about two thousand of them—rushed down the ·hill [steep bank; precipice] into the lake and were drowned.
14 The herdsmen ran away and went to the town and to the countryside, telling everyone about this. So people went out to see what had happened. 15 They came to Jesus and saw the man who used to have ·the many evil spirits [L the “legion”], sitting, clothed, and in his right mind. And they were frightened. 16 The people who saw this told the others what had happened to the man who had ·the demons living in him [been demon-possessed], and they told about the pigs. 17 Then the people began to beg Jesus to leave their area.
18 As Jesus was getting back into the boat, the man who ·was freed from the demons [had been demon-possessed] begged to go with him.
19 But Jesus would not let him. He said, “Go home to your family and tell them how much the Lord has done for you and how he has had mercy on you.” 20 So the man left and began to ·tell [proclaim/preach to] the people in the ·Ten Towns [or Decapolis; C a league of ten cities east of Lake Galilee] about what Jesus had done for him. And everyone was amazed.
Jesus Gives Life to a Dead Girl and Heals a Sick Woman(B)
21 When Jesus went in the boat back to the other side of the lake, a large crowd gathered around him there. 22 A leader of the synagogue, named Jairus, came there, saw Jesus, and ·fell [bowed; knelt] at his feet. 23 He begged Jesus, ·saying again and again [earnestly saying], “My daughter is dying. Please come and ·put [lay] your hands on her so she will be healed and will live.” 24 So Jesus went with him.
A large crowd followed Jesus and pushed very close around him. 25 Among them was a woman who had been bleeding for twelve years [C probably a chronic menstrual disorder]. 26 She had suffered very much from many doctors and had spent all the money she had, but instead of improving, she was getting worse. 27 When the woman heard about Jesus, she came up behind him in the crowd and touched his ·coat [cloak; garment]. 28 [L For] She ·thought [said], “If I can just touch his clothes, I will ·be healed [get well; be saved].” 29 Instantly her bleeding stopped, and she felt in her body that she was healed from her disease.
30 At once Jesus ·felt [perceived] power go out from him. So he turned around in the crowd and asked, “Who touched my clothes?”
31 His ·followers [disciples] said, “Look at how many people are pushing against you! And you ask, ‘Who touched me?’”
32 But Jesus continued looking around to see who had touched him. 33 The woman, knowing that she was healed, came and fell at Jesus’ feet. Shaking with fear, she told him the whole truth. 34 Jesus said to her, “·Dear woman [L Daughter], ·you are made well because you believed [your faith has saved/healed you]. Go in peace; be healed of your disease.”
35 While Jesus was still speaking, some people came from the house of the synagogue leader. They said, “Your daughter is dead. ·There is no need to bother the teacher anymore.” [L Why trouble the teacher anymore?”]
36 But Jesus ·paid no attention to [or overheard] what they said. He told the synagogue leader, “Don’t be afraid; just believe.”
37 Jesus let only Peter, James, and John the brother of James go with him. 38 When they came to the house of the synagogue leader, Jesus found many people there making lots of noise and ·crying loudly [L weeping and wailing loudly]. 39 Jesus entered the house and said to them, “Why are you ·crying [weeping] and making so much noise? The child is not dead, only asleep.” 40 But they ·laughed at [ridiculed] him. So, after ·throwing [putting] them [L all] out of the house, Jesus took the child’s father and mother and his three followers into the room where the child was. 41 Taking hold of the girl’s hand, he said to her, “Talitha, koum!” (This means [C in Aramaic, the language Jesus commonly spoke], “Little girl, I tell you to stand up!”) 42 At once the girl stood right up and began walking. (She was twelve years old.) Everyone was completely amazed. 43 Jesus gave them strict orders not to tell people about this. Then he told them to give the girl something to eat.
Jesus Goes to His Hometown(C)
6 Jesus left there and went to his hometown [C Nazareth; Matt. 2:23; Luke 2:39], and his ·followers [disciples] went with him. 2 On the Sabbath day he ·taught [L began to teach] in the synagogue. Many people heard him and were ·amazed [astonished], saying, “Where did this man get these ·teachings [L things]? What is this wisdom that has been given to him? And where did he get the power to do ·miracles [L such mighty works done by his hands]? 3 ·He is just [L Isn’t this…?] the carpenter, the son of Mary and the brother of James, Joseph [C Greek: Joses], Judas, and Simon. ·And his sisters are [L Are not his sisters…?] here with us.” So the people were ·upset with [offended by] Jesus.
4 Jesus said to them, “A prophet is ·honored everywhere [not dishonored] except in his hometown and with his own ·people [relatives; kin] and in his own ·home [household].” 5 So Jesus was not able to work any miracles there except to heal a few sick people by ·putting [laying] his hands on them. 6 He ·was amazed [wondered; marveled] ·at how many people had no faith [because of their unbelief].
Jesus Commissions the Twelve Apostles(D)
Then Jesus went [around] to other villages in that area and taught. 7 He called ·his twelve followers [L the Twelve] together and ·got ready [began] to send them out two by two and gave them authority over ·evil [defiling; L unclean] spirits. 8 This is what Jesus ·commanded [ordered; instructed] them: “Take nothing for your ·trip [journey; way] except a ·walking stick [staff]. Take no bread, no ·bag [traveler’s bag; or beggar’s purse], and no money in your ·pockets [money belts]. 9 Wear sandals, but ·take only the clothes you are wearing [do not wear/pack two tunics]. 10 When you enter a house, stay there until you leave ·that town [that area]. 11 If the people in a certain place refuse to welcome you or listen to you, leave that place. Shake its dust off your feet [C a sign of rejection and coming judgment] as a ·warning to [testimony against] them.”[b]
12 So ·the followers [L they] went out and preached that people should ·change their hearts and lives [turn from sin; repent]. 13 They ·forced [drove; cast] many demons out and ·put olive oil on [anointed with oil] many sick people and healed them.
How John the Baptist Was Killed(E)
14 King Herod [C Antipas; a son of Herod the Great; Luke 3:1] heard about Jesus, because he was now well known. Some people said,[c] “He is John the Baptist, who has risen from the dead. That is why ·he can work these miracles [L miraculous powers are at work in him].”
15 Others said, “He is Elijah [C a great OT prophet (1 Kin. 17), who was expected to return in the end times (Mal. 4:5)].”
Other people said, “Jesus is a prophet, like the prophets who lived long ago.”
16 When Herod heard this, he said, “I killed John by cutting off his head. Now he has risen from the dead!”
17 Herod himself had ·ordered [sent] his soldiers to arrest John and ·put [bound; chained] him in prison ·in order to please [L because of] his wife, Herodias. She had been the wife of Philip, Herod’s brother, but then Herod had married her. 18 John had been telling Herod, “It is not lawful for you to ·be married to [have] your brother’s wife.” 19 So Herodias ·hated [had a grudge against] John and wanted to kill him. But she couldn’t, 20 because Herod was afraid of John and protected him. He knew John was a ·good [righteous] and holy man. Also, though John’s preaching always ·bothered [disturbed; puzzled; perplexed] him, he enjoyed listening to John.
21 Then the ·perfect [opportune] time came for Herodias to cause John’s death. On Herod’s birthday, he gave a ·dinner party [banquet] for ·the most important government leaders [his nobles/high officials], the commanders of his army, and ·the most important people [leaders] in Galilee. 22 When the daughter of Herodias[d] came in and danced, she pleased Herod and the people eating with him.
So King Herod said to the girl, “Ask me for anything you want, and I will give it to you.” 23 He ·promised [swore/vowed to] her, “Anything you ask for I will give to you—up to half of my kingdom.”
24 The girl went [out] to her mother and asked, “What should I ask for?”
Her mother answered, “Ask for the head of John the Baptist.”
25 At once the girl ·went back [hurried back in] to the king and said to him, “I want [you to give me] the head of John the Baptist right now on a platter.”
26 Although the king was very ·sad [sorry; grieved; distressed], he had made a promise, and his dinner guests had heard it. So he did not want to refuse what she asked. 27 Immediately the king sent ·a soldier [an executioner] to bring John’s head. The ·soldier [executioner] went and cut off John’s head in the prison 28 and brought it back on a platter. He gave it to the girl, and the girl gave it to her mother. 29 When John’s ·followers [disciples] heard this, they came and got John’s ·body [corpse] and put it in a tomb.
More than Five Thousand Fed(F)
30 The apostles gathered around Jesus and told him about all the things they had done and taught. 31 Crowds of people were coming and going so that Jesus and his ·followers [disciples] did not even have time to eat. He said to them, “Come away by yourselves, and we will go to a ·lonely [isolated; deserted] place to get some rest.”
32 So they went in a boat by themselves to a ·lonely [isolated; deserted] place. 33 But many people saw them leave and recognized them. So from all the towns they ran to the place where Jesus was going, and they got there before him. 34 When he ·arrived [landed; came ashore], he saw a great crowd waiting. He ·felt sorry [had compassion] for them, because they were like sheep without a shepherd. So he began to teach them many things.
35 When it was late in the day, his ·followers [disciples] came to him and said, “·No one lives in this place [This is a remote/deserted place], and it is already very late. 36 Send the people away so they can go to the countryside and towns around here to buy themselves something to eat.”
37 But Jesus answered, “You give them something to eat.”
They said to him, ·“We would all have to work a month to earn enough money to buy that much bread!” [L “Should we go and buy two hundred denarii worth of bread and give it to them to eat?”]
38 Jesus asked them, “How many loaves of bread do you have? Go and see.”
When they found out, they said, “Five loaves and two fish.”
39 Then Jesus ·told [commanded; ordered] ·his followers [L them] to have the people sit [recline; C the posture for a banquet or dinner party; 2:15] in groups on the green grass. 40 So they sat in groups of hundreds and fifties. 41 Jesus took the five loaves and two fish and, looking up to heaven, he ·thanked God for [blessed] the food. He ·divided [broke] the bread and gave it to his ·followers [disciples] for them to give to the people. Then he divided the two fish among them all. 42 All the people ate and were satisfied. 43 ·The followers [L They] filled twelve baskets with the leftover pieces of bread and fish. 44 There were five thousand men who ate.
Jesus Walks on the Water(G)
45 Immediately Jesus ·told [compelled; made] his ·followers [disciples] to get into the boat and go ahead of him to Bethsaida [C a town on the northern shore of Lake Galilee, east of the Jordan River] across the lake. He stayed there to ·send the people home [dismiss the crowd]. 46 After ·sending them away [saying goodbye], he went into the hills to pray.
47 That night, the boat was in the middle of the lake, and Jesus was alone on the land. 48 He saw his ·followers [disciples] struggling hard to row the boat, because the wind was blowing against them. ·Between three and six o’clock in the morning [L At about the fourth watch of the night], Jesus came to them, walking on the water, and he ·wanted [intended; was about] to ·walk past [pass by] the boat. 49 But when they saw him walking on the ·water [lake; sea], they thought he was a ghost and cried out. 50 They all saw him and were afraid. But ·quickly [immediately] Jesus spoke to them and said, “Have courage! It is I. Do not be afraid.” 51 Then he got into the boat with them, and the wind ·became calm [ceased; stopped]. They were greatly amazed. 52 [For] They did not understand ·about the miracle of the five loaves [the significance of the loaves; L about the loaves], because their ·minds were closed [hearts were hardened/stubborn/dull].
53 When they had crossed the lake, they came to shore at Gennesaret [C either the plain on the northwestern shore of the lake, or a town in that region] and tied the boat there. 54 When they got out of the boat, people immediately recognized Jesus. 55 They ran everywhere in that ·area [region] and began to bring sick people on ·mats [cots] wherever they heard he was. 56 And everywhere he went—into towns, cities, or countryside—the people brought the sick to the marketplaces. They begged him to let them touch just the ·edge [fringe; tassels] of his coat, and all who touched it were healed.
The Things that Truly Please God(H)
7 When some Pharisees and some ·teachers of the law [scribes] came from Jerusalem, they gathered around Jesus. 2 They saw that some of Jesus’ ·followers [disciples] ate food with hands that were not clean, that is, they hadn’t [ceremonially] washed them. 3 ([For] The Pharisees and all the Jews never eat before washing their hands ·in the way required [L with a fist; C the meaning of the idiom is uncertain; it could mean “with a handful of water,” “with cupped hand,” “up to the wrist” or something else] by ·their unwritten laws [L the traditions of the elders]. 4 ·And when they buy something in the market, they never eat it [or, And when they come from the market (where they might have touched something “unclean”), they do not eat] until they wash themselves in a special way. They also ·follow [hold fast to; observe] many other ·unwritten laws [traditions], such as the washing of cups, pitchers, and pots.[e])
5 The Pharisees and the ·teachers of the law [scribes] asked Jesus, “Why don’t your ·followers [disciples] ·obey [walk according to] the ·unwritten laws which have been handed down to us [traditions of the elders]? Why do they eat their food with hands that are ·not clean [defiled]?”
6 Jesus answered, “Isaiah was right when he ·spoke [prophesied] about you hypocrites. ·He wrote [As it is written],
‘These people show honor to me with ·words [L their lips],
but their hearts are far from me.
7 Their worship of me is ·worthless [futile; in vain].
The things they teach are nothing but human ·rules [commandments; Is. 29:13].’
8 You ·have stopped following [neglected; abandoned] the commands of God, and you ·follow [hold on to] only human ·teachings[f] [traditions].”
9 Then Jesus said to them, “You ·cleverly ignore [are very good at ignoring/despising] the commands of God so you can follow your own ·teachings [tradition]. 10 [For] Moses said, ‘Honor your father and your mother’ [Ex. 20:12; Deut. 5:16], and ‘Anyone who ·says cruel things to [speaks evil of; curses] his father or mother must be put to death’ [Ex. 21:17; Lev. 20:9]. 11 But you say a person can tell his father or mother, ‘I have something I could use to help you, but it is Corban—a gift to God.’ [C Corban is a Hebrew term meaning dedicated or set aside to God.] 12 You no longer let that person ·use that money [do anything] for his father or his mother. 13 By your own ·rules [tradition], which you ·teach people [have handed down], you are ·rejecting [nullifying; canceling] what God said. And you do many things like that.”
14 After Jesus called the crowd to him again, he said, “Listen to me, everyone, and understand what I am saying. 15 There is nothing people put into their bodies that ·makes them unclean [pollutes/defiles them]. [But rather] People are ·made unclean [polluted; defiled] by the things that come out of them. |16 ·Let those with ears use them and listen [see 4:23].|”[g]
17 When Jesus left the ·people [crowd] and went into the house, his ·followers [disciples] asked him about this ·story [parable; see 3:23]. 18 Jesus said, “·Do you still not understand [Are you so dull]? ·Surely you know [L Don’t you know…?] that nothing that enters someone from the outside can make that person ·unclean [polluted; defiled]. 19 [Because] It does not go into the ·mind [heart], but into the stomach. Then it goes ·out of the body [L into the sewer/latrine].” ·(When Jesus said this, he meant that no longer was any food unclean for people to eat.) [or, (In this way, Jesus cleansed all food.)]
20 And Jesus said, “The things that come out of people are the things that make them ·unclean [defiled]. 21 ·All these evil things begin inside people, in the mind [L For from within, out of human hearts, come]: evil ·thoughts [intentions; ideas], sexual sins, stealing, murder, adultery, 22 greed, ·evil actions [wickedness], ·lying [deceit], ·doing sinful things [indecency; lust; lewdness], ·jealousy [envy; L evil eye], ·speaking evil of others [slander; blasphemy], pride, and foolish living. 23 All these evil things come from inside and make people ·unclean [defiled].”
Jesus Helps a Gentile Woman(I)
24 Jesus left that place and went to the area around Tyre[h] [C a Gentile city on the coast north of Israel]. When he went into a house, he did not want anyone to know he was there, but he could not stay hidden. 25 A woman whose daughter had an ·evil [defiling; L unclean] spirit in her heard that he was there. So she ·quickly [immediately] came to Jesus and ·fell [bowed] at his feet. 26 She was ·Greek [a Gentile; C “Greek” is sometimes used for any non-Jew; Rom. 1:16], born in Phoenicia, in Syria. She ·begged [kept asking] Jesus to ·force [drive; cast] the demon out of her daughter.
27 Jesus told the woman, “It is not right to take the children’s bread and ·give [throw] it to the dogs. First let the children eat all they want.” [C “Children” refers to Israel; “dogs” to the Gentiles.]
28 But she answered, “Yes, Lord, but even the dogs under the table can eat the children’s crumbs.”
29 Then Jesus said, “Because of your answer, you may go. The demon has left your daughter.”
30 The woman went home and found her daughter lying in bed; the demon was gone.
Jesus Heals a Deaf Man(J)
31 Then Jesus left the area around Tyre and went through Sidon to Lake Galilee [T the Sea of Galilee], to the area of ·the Ten Towns [or Decapolis; C an area east of Lake Galilee that once had ten main towns; 5:20]. 32 While he was there, some people brought a man to him who was deaf and ·could not talk plainly [had a speech impediment]. The people begged Jesus to put his hand on the man to heal him.
33 Jesus led the man away from the crowd, by himself. He put his fingers in the man’s ears and then spit and touched the man’s tongue. [C The use of saliva is mentioned in other ancient accounts of healing, and elsewhere in the Gospels; see 8:23; John 9:6.] 34 Looking up to heaven, he sighed and said to the man, “Ephphatha!” (This means [C in Aramaic], “Be opened.”) 35 Instantly the man was able to hear and to use his tongue so that he spoke clearly.
36 Jesus ·commanded [ordered; instructed] the people not to tell anyone about what happened. But the more he ·commanded [ordered; instructed] them, the more they ·told about [proclaimed] it. 37 They were completely amazed and said, “Jesus does everything well. He makes the deaf hear! And ·those who can’t talk [the mute] he makes able to speak.”
More than Four Thousand People Fed(K)
8 ·Another time [About this time] there was ·a [another] great crowd with Jesus that had nothing to eat. So Jesus called his ·followers [disciples] and said, 2 “I ·feel sorry [have compassion] for these people, because they have already been with me for three days, and they have nothing to eat. 3 If I send them home hungry, they will ·faint [collapse] on the way. Some of them ·live a long way from here [have come from far away].”
4 Jesus’ ·followers [disciples] answered, “·How [L From where] can ·we [L anyone] get enough bread in this ·remote place [desolate place; desert] to feed them?”
5 Jesus asked, “How many loaves of bread do you have?”
They answered, “Seven.”
6 Jesus told the people to ·sit [recline] on the ground. Then he took the seven loaves, gave thanks to God, and ·divided [broke] the bread. He gave the pieces to his ·followers [disciples] to give to the people, and they did so. 7 ·The followers [L They] also had a few small fish. After Jesus ·gave thanks for [blessed] the fish, he told his ·followers [disciples] to give them to the people also. 8 All the people ate and were satisfied. Then ·his followers [L they] filled seven ·baskets [large baskets; C a different word than in the feeding of the 5,000; 6:43] with the leftover pieces of food. 9 There were about four thousand people who ate. After they had eaten, Jesus ·sent them home [dismissed them]. 10 Then ·right away [immediately] he got into a boat with his ·followers [disciples] and went to the area of Dalmanutha. [C This place is unknown; it was probably on the western shore of Lake Galilee.]
The Leaders Ask for a Miracle(L)
11 The Pharisees came to Jesus and began to ·ask him questions [argue/dispute with him]. ·Hoping to trap [Trying to test] him, they asked Jesus for a ·miracle [sign] from ·God [L heaven; C possibly a sign in the sky, but more likely a Jewish way of saying “from God”]. 12 Jesus ·sighed [groaned] deeply and said, “Why ·do you people [L does this generation] ask for a miracle as a sign? I tell you the truth, no sign will be given to ·you [this generation].” 13 Then Jesus left the Pharisees and went in the boat to the other side of the lake.
Guard Against Wrong Teachings(M)
14 His ·followers [disciples] had only one loaf of bread with them in the boat; they had forgotten to bring more. 15 Jesus warned them, “·Be careful [Watch out]! Beware of the ·yeast [leaven] of the Pharisees and the ·yeast [leaven] of Herod [C yeast or leaven refers here to the dangerous permeating power of their influence].”
16 They discussed the meaning of this, saying, “He said this because we have no bread.”
17 Knowing what they were talking about, Jesus asked them, “Why are you ·talking [discussing; arguing] about not having bread? Do you still not see or understand? Are your ·minds closed [hearts hardened]? 18 ·You have eyes, but you don’t really see. You have ears, but you don’t really listen [Jer. 5:21; Ezek. 12:2]. ·Remember [L Don’t you remember] when 19 I ·divided [broke] five loaves of bread for the five thousand? How many baskets did you fill with leftover pieces of food?”
They answered, “Twelve.”
20 “And when I ·divided [broke] seven loaves of bread for the four thousand, how many [large] baskets did you fill with leftover pieces of food?”
They answered, “Seven.”
21 Then Jesus said to them, “Don’t you understand yet?”
Jesus Heals a Blind Man
22 Jesus and his followers came to Bethsaida [6:45]. There some people brought a blind man to Jesus and begged him to touch the man. 23 So Jesus took the blind man’s hand and led him out of the village. Then he spit on the man’s eyes [see 7:33] and ·put [laid] his hands on the man and asked, “Can you see [anything] now?”
24 The man looked up and said, “Yes, I see people, but they look like trees walking around.”
25 Again Jesus ·put [laid] his hands on the man’s eyes. Then the man ·opened his eyes wide [stared intently] and ·they were healed [his sight was restored], and he was able to see everything clearly. 26 Jesus told him to go home, saying, “Don’t go into the town.”[i] [C Jesus wanted to avoid the publicity that the healing would produce.]
Peter Says Jesus Is the Christ(N)
27 Jesus and his ·followers [disciples] went to the towns around Caesarea Philippi [C a city about 25 miles north of Lake Galilee]. While they were traveling, Jesus asked them, “Who do people say I am?”
28 They answered, “Some say you are John the Baptist. Others say you are Elijah [a great prophet (1 Kin. 17), who was expected to return in the end times (Mal. 4:5); see 6:15], and others say you are one of the prophets.”
29 Then Jesus asked, “But who do you say I am?”
Peter answered, “You are the ·Christ [Messiah].”
30 Jesus [strongly] warned them not to tell anyone who he was.
31 Then Jesus began to teach them that the Son of Man [Dan. 7:13–14] must suffer many things and that he would be rejected by the Jewish elders, the ·leading [T chief] priests, and the ·teachers of the law [scribes]. He told them that the Son of Man must be killed and then rise from the dead after three days. 32 Jesus told them ·plainly [boldly; openly] what would happen. Then Peter took Jesus aside and began to ·reprimand [rebuke] him. 33 But Jesus turned and looked at his ·followers [disciples]. Then he ·reprimanded [rebuked] Peter. He said, “·Go away from me [L Get behind me], Satan [C Jesus accuses Peter of doing Satan’s work by obstructing God’s plan]! You ·don’t care about [are not setting your mind on/thinking about] the things of God, but only ·about things people think are important [on/about human concerns].”
34 Then Jesus called the crowd to him, along with his ·followers [disciples]. He said, “If ·people [L anyone wants] want to follow me, they must ·give up the things they want [deny themselves; set aside their own interests]. They must ·be willing even to give up their lives to [L take up their cross and] follow me. 35 Those who want to save their lives will ·give up true life [L lose their life/soul; C Greek psychē can mean “life” or “soul,” producing this play on words]. But those who ·give up [lose; sacrifice] their lives for ·me [my sake] and for the ·Good News [Gospel] will ·have true life [save their lives/souls]. 36 ·It is worthless [What good/profit/benefit is it…?] to ·have [gain] the whole world if they ·lose [forfeit] their souls. 37 ·They could never pay enough [L Or what could they give…?] ·to buy back [in exchange for] their souls. 38 If people of this ·sinful and evil time [adulterous and sinful generation] are ashamed of me and my ·teaching [words; message], the Son of Man will be ashamed of them when he ·comes [returns] with his Father’s glory and with the holy angels [Dan. 7:13–14].”
9 Then Jesus said to the people, “I tell you the truth, some people standing here will not ·die [L taste death] before they see the kingdom of God ·come [arrive] with power.” [C “Seeing the kingdom of God” may refer to the Transfiguration that follows (9:1–8), Jesus’ resurrection, or the destruction of Jerusalem in ad 70.]
The Transfiguration on the Mountain(O)
2 Six days later, Jesus took Peter, James, and John [L and led them] up on a high mountain by themselves. ·While they watched [In their presence; In front of them], Jesus’ appearance was ·changed [transformed; T transfigured]. 3 His clothes became shining white, whiter than any ·person [launderer on earth] could ·make them [bleach them]. 4 Then Elijah and Moses appeared to them, talking with Jesus. [C God had given the Law through Moses, and Elijah was an important prophet (see 6:1); together they signify that Jesus fulfills the OT.]
5 Peter said to Jesus, “·Teacher [L Rabbi], it is good that we are here. Let us make three ·tents [shelters; shrines; tabernacles; Lev. 23:42]—one for you, one for Moses, and one for Elijah.” [C Perhaps Peter wanted to prolong their stay or to commemorate their visit.] 6 Peter did not know what to say, because he and the others were so frightened.
7 Then a cloud came and ·covered [overshadowed; Ex. 24:15] them, and a voice came from the cloud, saying, “This is my ·Son, whom I love [dearly loved Son; Ps. 2:7; Gen. 22:2; Mark 1:11]. Listen to him [Deut. 18:15; Acts 3:22]!”
8 Suddenly Peter, James, and John looked around, but they saw only Jesus there alone with them.
9 As they were coming down the mountain, Jesus ·commanded [instructed] them not to tell anyone about what they had seen until the Son of Man had risen from the dead.
10 So they ·obeyed Jesus [kept this statement/matter to themselves], but they discussed what he meant about rising from the dead.
11 Then they asked Jesus, “Why do the ·teachers of the law [scribes] say that Elijah must come first [Mal. 3:1; 4:5]?”
12 Jesus answered, “·They are right to say that Elijah must come first and [L Elijah is indeed coming, and he will] ·make everything the way it should be [restore/prepare everything]. But why does the Scripture say that the Son of Man will suffer much and ·that people will treat him as if he were nothing [be despised; be treated with contempt; be rejected; Is. 52:13—53:12]? 13 [L But] I tell you that Elijah has already come. And ·people [L they] did to him whatever they wanted to do, just as ·the Scriptures said it would happen [it is written about him].”
Jesus Heals a Sick Boy(P)
14 When Jesus, Peter, James, and John came back to the other ·followers [disciples], they saw a great crowd around them and the ·teachers of the law [scribes] arguing with them. 15 But as soon as the crowd saw Jesus, the people were ·surprised [amazed] and ran to welcome him.
16 Jesus asked, “What are you arguing about?”
17 A man [in the crowd] answered, “Teacher, I brought my son to you. He has an evil spirit in him that ·stops him from talking [makes him mute]. 18 When the spirit attacks him, it throws him on the ground. Then my son foams at the mouth, grinds his teeth, and becomes ·very stiff [rigid]. I asked your ·followers [disciples] to ·force [drive; cast] the evil spirit out, but they couldn’t.”
19 Jesus answered, “You ·people have no faith [unbelieving/faithless generation]. How long must I stay with you? How long must I put up with you? Bring the boy to me.”
20 So ·the followers [L they] brought him to Jesus. As soon as the evil spirit saw Jesus, it ·made the boy lose control of himself [threw the boy into convulsions], and he fell down and rolled on the ground, foaming at the mouth.
21 Jesus asked the boy’s father, “How long has this been happening?”
The father answered, “Since ·he was very young [childhood]. 22 The spirit often throws him into a fire or into water to ·kill [destroy] him. If you can do anything for him, please have ·pity [compassion] on us and help us.”
23 Jesus said to the father, “You said, ‘If you can!’ All things are possible for the one who believes.”
24 Immediately the father cried out, “I do believe! Help ·me to believe more [me not to doubt; me overcome my unbelief; L my unbelief]!”
25 When Jesus saw that a crowd was quickly gathering, he ·ordered [rebuked] the ·evil [defiling; L unclean] spirit, saying, “You deaf and mute spirit, I command you to come out of this boy and never enter him again!”
26 The evil spirit screamed and ·caused the boy to fall on the ground again [convulsed him violently]. Then the spirit came out. The boy looked as if he were dead, and many people said, “He is dead!” 27 But Jesus took hold of the boy’s hand and helped him to stand up.
28 When Jesus went into the house, his ·followers [disciples] began asking him privately, “Why couldn’t we ·force [drive; cast] that evil spirit out?”
29 Jesus answered, “That kind of spirit can only be forced out by prayer.”[j]
Jesus Again Talks About His Death(Q)
30 Then Jesus and his ·followers [disciples] left that place and went through Galilee. He didn’t want anyone to know where he was, 31 because he was teaching his ·followers [disciples]. He said to them, “The Son of Man will be ·handed over [delivered over; betrayed] to ·people [L human hands], and they will kill him [C the “handing over” may be Judas’ betrayal or God’s actions in “giving up” his Son to accomplish salvation; Rom. 4:25]. After three days, he will rise from the dead.” 32 But they did not understand what Jesus meant, and they were afraid to ask him.
Who Is the Greatest?(R)
33 Jesus and his ·followers [disciples] went to Capernaum. When they went into a house there, he asked them, “What were you ·arguing about [discussing] on the road?” 34 But they did not answer, because their ·argument [discussion] on the road was about which one of them was the greatest.
35 Jesus sat down and called ·the twelve apostles [the Twelve] to him. He said, “Whoever wants to be ·the most important [first] must be last of all and servant of all.”
36 Then Jesus took a small child and had ·him [or her; C the Greek here does not specify gender] stand among them. Taking the child in his arms, he said, 37 “Whoever ·accepts [welcomes; receives] a child like this in my name [C as a representative or follower of Jesus] accepts me. And whoever ·accepts [welcomes; receives] me accepts [not only me, but] the One who sent me.” [C Children had low social status, so the saying indicates concern for the lowly.]
Anyone Not Against Us Is for Us(S)
38 Then John said, “Teacher, we saw someone using your name [C invoking your authority] to ·force [drive; cast] demons out of a person. We told him to stop, because he does not belong to our group.”
39 But Jesus said, “Don’t stop him, because anyone who uses my name to do powerful things will not ·easily [quickly] say evil things about me. 40 Whoever is not against us is ·with [for] us. 41 I tell you the truth, whoever gives you a drink of water because you belong to the ·Christ [Messiah] will ·truly get [L certainly not lose] his reward.
42 “If someone causes one of these little children who believes in me to ·sin [lose faith; stumble], it would be better for that person to have a ·large stone [large millstone; L millstone of a donkey] tied around his neck and be ·drowned [L thrown] in the sea. 43 If your hand causes you ·to sin [lose faith; stumble], cut it off. It is better for you ·to lose part of your body and live forever [L to enter life maimed] than to have two hands and go to ·hell [L Gehenna; C a valley outside of Jerusalem where in the OT period children were sacrificed to a pagan god; later used as a burning trash heap; a metaphor for hell], where the fire never goes out. |44 In hell the worm does not die; the fire is never put out.|[k] 45 If your foot causes you to ·sin [lose faith; stumble], cut it off. It is better for you ·to lose part of your body and to live forever [L to enter life crippled] than to have two feet and be thrown into ·hell [Gehenna; v. 43]. |46 In hell the worm does not die; the fire is never put out.|[l] 47 If your eye causes you to ·sin [lose faith; stumble], take it out. It is better for you to enter the kingdom of God with only one eye than to have two eyes and be thrown into ·hell [Gehenna; v. 43]. 48 In hell the worm does not die; the fire is never put out. 49 Every person will be salted with fire. [C The meaning of this proverb is uncertain; it may mean that the testing of believers purifies (fire) and preserves (salt); or it may refer to believers as God’s covenant people, since salt and fire were part of the OT sacrificial system; see Lev. 2:3; Num. 18:9.]
50 “Salt is good, but if the salt loses its salty taste, you cannot make it salty again. So, ·be full of salt [L have salt in/among yourselves; C salt here may symbolize fellowship within the covenant], and have peace with each other.”
Jesus Teaches About Divorce(T)
10 Then Jesus left that place and went into the ·area [region] of Judea and across the Jordan River. Again, crowds came to him, and he taught them as he usually did.
2 Some Pharisees came to Jesus and tried to ·trick [test; trap] him. They asked, “Is it ·right [lawful; C according to the law of Moses] for a man to divorce his wife?”
3 Jesus answered, “What did Moses command you to do?”
4 They said, “Moses ·allowed [permitted] a man to write out divorce papers and send her away [Deut. 24:1].”
5 Jesus said, “Moses wrote that command for you because you were ·stubborn [hard hearted]. 6 But ·when God made the world [from the beginning of creation], ‘he made them male and female’ [Gen. 1:27; 5:2]. 7 ‘So a man will leave his father and mother and be ·united with [joined to] his wife,[m] 8 and the two will become ·one body [as though they were one person; T one flesh; Gen. 2:24]’. So they are no longer two, but one. 9 God has joined the two together, so no one should separate them.”
10 Later, in the house, his ·followers [disciples] asked Jesus again about ·the question of divorce [L this matter]. 11 He answered, “Anyone who divorces his wife and marries another woman ·is guilty of [commits] adultery against her. 12 And the woman who divorces her husband and marries another man ·is also guilty of [commits] adultery.”
Jesus Accepts Children(U)
13 Some people brought their little children to Jesus so he could touch them, but his ·followers [disciples] ·told them to stop [scolded/rebuked them]. 14 When Jesus saw this, he was ·upset [angry; indignant] and said to them, “Let the little children come to me. Don’t stop them, because the kingdom of God belongs to people who are like these children [C meaning humble and dependent]. 15 I tell you the truth, you must accept the kingdom of God as if you were a little child, or you will never enter it.” 16 Then Jesus took the children in his arms, ·put [laid] his hands on them, and blessed them.
A Rich Young Man’s Question(V)
17 As Jesus started ·to leave [on his way; on a journey], a man ran to him and ·fell on his knees [knelt] before Jesus. The man asked, “Good teacher, what must I do to ·have life forever [L inherit eternal life]?”
18 Jesus answered, “Why do you call me good? ·Only God is good [No one is good except One—God; C Jesus is not denying his own divinity, but is challenging the man’s understanding of goodness]. 19 You know the commands: ‘You must not murder. You must not ·be guilty of [commit] adultery. You must not steal. You must not ·tell lies about your neighbor [testify falsely; T bear false witness]. You must not ·cheat [defraud]. Honor your father and mother’ [Ex. 20:12–16; Deut. 5:16–20].”
20 The man said, “Teacher, I have ·obeyed [kept carefully; guarded] all these things since I was a boy.”
21 Jesus, looking at the man, loved him and said, “There is one more thing you need to do. Go and sell everything you have, and give the money to the poor, and you will have treasure in heaven. Then come and follow me.”
22 He was ·very sad [shocked; appalled] to hear Jesus say this, and he left ·sorrowfully [grieving], because he ·was rich [had many possessions].
23 Then Jesus looked [around] at his ·followers [disciples] and said, “How hard it will be for ·the rich [those with many possessions] to enter the kingdom of God!”
24 The ·followers [disciples] were ·amazed [astonished] at what Jesus said. [C In Judaism wealth was generally viewed as a reward from God.] But he said again, “My children, it is very hard[n] to enter the kingdom of God! 25 It is easier for a camel to go through the eye of a needle than for a rich person to enter the kingdom of God [C meaning it is impossible, by human effort; see v. 27].”
26 They were even more ·surprised [amazed] and said to each other, “Then who can be saved?”
27 Jesus looked at them and said, “·For people [Humanly speaking,] this is impossible, but for God all things are possible.”
28 Peter ·said [spoke up] to Jesus, “Look, we have left everything and followed you.”
29 Jesus said, “I tell you the truth, all those who have left houses, brothers, sisters, mother, father, children, or ·farms [fields] for me and for the ·Good News [Gospel] 30 will get more than they left. Here in ·this world [the present age] they will have a hundred times more homes, brothers, sisters, mothers, children, and ·fields [farms]. And with those things, ·they will also suffer for their belief [persecutions]. But in the ·age [world] that is coming they will have ·life forever [eternal life]. 31 Many who are first now will be last in the future. And many who are last now will be first in the future.”
Jesus Talks a Third Time About His Death(W)
32 As Jesus and the people with him were on the road to Jerusalem, he was leading the way. His ·followers [disciples] were ·amazed [surprised; puzzled; alarmed], but others in the crowd who followed were afraid. Again Jesus took ·the twelve apostles [the Twelve] aside and began to tell them what was about to happen [to him] in Jerusalem. 33 He said, “Look, we are going [L up] to Jerusalem. The Son of Man will be ·turned over [betrayed; delivered over; see 9:31] to the ·leading [T chief] priests and the ·teachers of the law [scribes]. They will ·say that he must die [condemn him to death], and they will turn him over to the ·Gentiles [C the Roman authorities], 34 who will laugh at him and spit on him. They will beat him with whips and ·crucify [L kill] him. But after three days, he will rise to life again.”
Two Followers Ask Jesus a Favor(X)
35 Then James and John, sons of Zebedee, came to Jesus and said, “Teacher, we want ·to ask you to do something for us [you to do whatever we ask].”
36 Jesus asked, “What do you want me to do for you?”
37 They answered, “Let one of us sit at your right side and one of us sit at your left side in your glory [C the messianic kingdom].”
38 Jesus said, “You don’t understand what you are asking. Can you drink the cup that I must drink? And can you be baptized with the same kind of baptism that I must go through?” [C Both “cup” and “baptism” symbolize suffering, and perhaps God’s judgment experienced by Jesus on the cross; Jer. 25:15–29.]
39 They answered, “Yes, we can.”
Jesus said to them, “You will drink the same cup that I will drink, and you will be baptized with the same baptism that I must go through. 40 But ·I cannot choose [it is not for me to grant/say] who will sit at my right or my left; those places belong to those for whom they have been prepared.”
41 When ·the other ten followers [L the ten] heard this, they began to be ·angry [indignant] with James and John.
42 Jesus called them together and said, “You know that the rulers of ·other nations [the Gentiles] love to ·show their power [lord it] over the people, and their ·important leaders [high officials; L great ones] love to ·use [exert] their authority [L over them]. 43 But it ·should not be [must not be; is not to be] that way among you. [Instead, L But] Whoever wants to become great among you must ·serve the rest of you like a servant [L be your servant]. 44 Whoever wants to become the first among you must ·serve all of you like a slave [L be your slave]. 45 In the same way, the Son of Man did not come to be served. He came to serve others and to give his life as a ransom for many people [Is. 53:12; John 11:49–50].”
Jesus Heals a Blind Man(Y)
46 Then they came to the town of Jericho. As Jesus was leaving there with his ·followers [disciples] and a great many people, a blind beggar named Bartimaeus [which means] son of Timaeus was sitting by the road. 47 When he heard that Jesus from Nazareth was walking by, he began to shout, “Jesus, Son of David [C a title for the Messiah, a descendant of King David; 2 Sam. 7:11–16], ·have mercy [take pity] on me!”
48 Many people ·warned [rebuked; scolded] the blind man to be quiet, but he shouted even more, “Son of David, ·have mercy [take pity] on me!”
49 Jesus stopped and said, “Tell the man to come here.”
So they called the blind man, saying, “·Cheer up [Take courage]! Get to your feet. Jesus is calling you.” 50 The blind man jumped up, ·left his coat there [threw off his cloak], and went to Jesus.
51 Jesus asked him, “What do you want me to do for you?”
The blind man answered, “·Teacher [L Rabbouni], I want to see.”
52 Jesus said, “Go, ·you are healed because you believed [your faith has healed you].” At once the man could see, and he followed Jesus on the road.
Footnotes
- Mark 5:1 Gerasene Some Greek copies read “Gergesene”; others read “Gadarene.”
- Mark 6:11 them Some Greek copies continue, “I tell you the truth, on the Judgment Day it will be better for the towns of Sodom and Gomorrah than for the people of that town.” See Matthew 10:15.
- Mark 6:14 Some people said Some Greek copies read “He said.”
- Mark 6:22 When … Herodias Some Greek copies read “When his daughter Herodias.”
- Mark 7:4 pots Some Greek copies continue, “and dining couches.”
- Mark 7:8 teachings Some Greek copies continue, “You wash pitchers and jugs and do many other such things.”
- Mark 7:16 Let … listen. Some Greek copies do not contain the bracketed text.
- Mark 7:24 Tyre Some Greek copies continue, “and Sidon.”
- Mark 8:26 town Some Greek copies continue, “Don’t even go and tell anyone in the town.”
- Mark 9:29 prayer Some Greek copies continue, “and fasting.”
- Mark 9:44 In … out. Some Greek copies do not contain the bracketed text.
- Mark 9:46 In … out. Some Greek copies do not contain the bracketed text.
- Mark 10:7 and … wife Some Greek copies do not have this phrase.
- Mark 10:24 hard Some Greek copies continue, “for those who trust in riches.”
The Expanded Bible, Copyright © 2011 Thomas Nelson Inc. All rights reserved.
